Stretcher



Feb. 5, 1924. 1,482,4@7 J. T. SHEETS STRETCHER Filed Feb. 5, 1923 `Patented Feb. 5, 1924i.

TED STATE STRETCHER.

Application led February 5, 1923. Serial No. 616,903.

4To all vwhom t may concern:

i Be it known that l, JEssE T. SHEETS, a citizen 'of the United States of America, and resident ofl Covington, in the county'oi` Kenton and State of Kentucky,have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Stretcher, 'of which the following is a specification.

An' object offmy invention is to provide a simple and efficient stretcher.

i Another object of my invention is to provide means for firmly and rigidly supporting the frame or bed of a stretcherfso as to preclude sagging and distortion thereof.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a stretcher and supporting means therefor embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the under surface of a stretcher having mounted upon it the support means embodying my invention.

The bed or frame of the stretcher comrises the poles 3 and 4 extending through oops 5 and 6 formed along the sides or longitudinal edges of the canvas 7. The

loops are provided by turning the longitudinal edges of the canvas 7 inward and by .'30 securing such edges upon the body of the canvas by any suitable means such as by rows of stitching or the like 8. The canvas is notched at places intermediate its length, adjacent its longitudinal edges whereb :i5 openings 9 are provided through which the poles 3 and 4 are exposed. The exposed portions of the poles are adapted to `have mounted upon them the support device 10.

Any number of support devices 10 may be employed throughout the length of the stretcher, but ordinarily two such supports, one adjacent'each end of the stretcher, are sufficient. Each of the support devices comprises a cross bar 11 having a threaded socket 12 formed in its one end for the reception of a screw 13 formed on a block 14.

The block 14 pivotally carries a leg 15 from which extends a bifurcated bracket 16. The

branches of the bracket 16 are adapted to receive one of the stretcher poles between themselves. The lower end of the leg ma carry a suitable roller 17. The block 14 has fingers 18 formed on it adapted to be engaged by one end of a catch 19 pivotally mounted `intermediate its ends upon lug 2() carried by the leg 15. The other end of the catch is engaged by the spring 21 extending between such catch and the leg .15. The engagement of the catch 19 upon the lingers 18 precludes relative movement of the block 14 and the leg 1.5 about the pivot 22 when th?1 support 10 is mounted upon a stretcher be The other end of the cross bar 11 is bifurcated, and the branches of such end carry a pivot 28 supporting a. leg 24. The leg 24 has an outwardly extending bifurcated bracket 25 between the branches of which, poles such as 3 and 4may be retained. The

leg 24 carries a roller 26 similar to the roller 7 17. The leg 24 carries a lug 27 adapted to engage the wall 28 defining the upper center limit of the space between the branches formed on the bar 11. The lug and the space between the last referred to branches bear a relation such that the leg 24, cannot move in a counter-clockwise direction, beyond the position shown in Fig. 1. In the assembled support and stretcher, the canvas bed 7 of the stretcher is disposed above the bar 11, wherefore tensioning of the canvas 7 serves to retain the lug 27 in engagement upon the wall 28.

To set up the stretcher disclosed, pole 3 is placed in the pocket formed between the branches of the bracket 25 and pole 4 is placed between the branches of the bracket 16. The leg 15 is then moved in a counterclockwise direction thereby stretching the canvas 7 and bringing the upper ends of the catch 19 below the outer edges of the fingers 18. When the catch 19 is lodged below the fingers 18, the catch precludes clockwise movement of the leg 15 about the pivot 42, wherefore the stretcher 7 is retained in a taut condition. lVhen it is desired to take down the device, pressureis exerted upon the leg 15 in a counter-clockwise direction to permit disengagement of the catch 19 and the fingers 18, whereupon the lower end of the catch is moved against the resistance of the spring 21 thereby extending the upper ends of the latch 19 beyond the outer edges of the lingers 18, whereupon the leg 15 may y be moved in a clockwise direction to release the tension on the canvas bed 7. Variations in the degree of tension to be exerted upon the bed 7, as well as the lateral adjustment of the support 10 to receive various Widths ot' stretcher beds, are accomplished by means of the socket and screw arrangement 12-13- What I claim is:

l. In a device of the class described the combination of a pair of poles, a flexible bed carried by the poles, a cross bar, a leg pivotally carried by one end of the cross bar, a bracket formed on the leg for receiving one ot the poles, a lug formed on the leg7 and a complementary Wall formed on the cross bar 'for engagement by the lug for limiting the movement of the leg and bracket, a second leg pivotally mounted at the other end of the cross bar, a bracket Carried by the last mentioned leg for receiving the second pole, a finger formed on the last mentioned end oi' the cross bar, and a catch carried by the last mentioned leg for engagement upon the linger for securing the last mentioned bracket against movement toward the first mentioned bracket under the influence of the flexible bed when the bed is tensioned to retain the lug on the first mentioned leg in engagement with the Wall on the cross bar.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of a pair of poles, a flexible bed carried by the poles a cross banI a leg pivotally carried by one end of the cross bar, a bracket formed on the leg for receiving one oi" the poles, a lug formed on the leg, and a complementary Wall formed on the cross bar for engagement by lthe lug for limiting the movement of the leg and bracket, a second leg pivotally mounted at the other end of the cross bar, a bracket carried by a last mentioned leg for receiving the second pole, a finger formed on the last mentioned end of the cross bar7 a catch carried by the last mentioned leg for engagement upon the nger for securing the last mentioned bracket against movement toward the first mentioned bracket under the influence of the flexible bed when the bed is tensioned to retain the lug on the first mentioned leg in engagement with the Wall on the cross bar, and means associated with the cross bar for adjusting the length of the cross bar.

ln testimony whereof, I havehereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of J anuary7 1923. w

JESSE T. SHEETS. 

